The police in Racibórz received a report about a 40-year-old man in dark blue clothes who had been spotted entering his car intoxicated at a gas station. Later on the man was said to have been blocking traffic in a small neighbourhood street. When the police patrol arrived at the scene, the suspect fired his gun. The officer who approached the car was shot dead, while his partner shot the the suspect in the leg.
The tragic incident took place on Tuesday around 8 a.m. at Chełmońskiego street in Racibórz, in a middle of a residential neighbourhood, full of blocks of flats, small shops and parked cars.
Two police officers responded to a call regarding a possible intoxicated driver.
"We received information from a gas station about a man dressed like a policeman entering a car and driving off most likely under the influence of alcohol" - Aleksandra Nowara from Silesian Police told TVN24.
A few minutes later, the Racibórz police received another call regarding the same dark-blue-clad man, but this time on Chełmońskiego street. He was said to have been stopping cars for control and thereby blocking the traffic.
The police officers, clad in uniforms and driving in a marked police car, confirmed the suspect's description matched the one from the gas station. "He was wearing a dark blue sweater closely resembling a police one. During the ID-check he reached for his gun fired at one of the officers" - Nowara said.
The wounded policeman was at first being resuscitated by other officers at the scene, and later by paramedics. Unfortunately, the efforts to save his life were unsuccessful. He was 42 and had huge experience in police work.
She added that the suspect was shot in the leg by the other officer and later taken to a hospital. He had a wound in his thigh. Doctors were to decide whether he could be physically detained.
According to the police, the 40-year-old suspect was from Racibórz had no permanent place of residence, and had already been in the police database for drug offences. The police spokesperson said they officers did not know who they were going to stop.
Police forensics were examining the scene in the presence of the prosecutor. They were checking the area for possible CCTV footage. The family of the deceased police officers as well as his patrol partner will be offered psychological assistance.
"With deepest regret we've learned about the death of our Colleague who was shot dead by a criminal, whilst performing duties he had pledged to deliver in the oath of honor. The whole police community is in deep grief and sorrow, while our hearts go out to his family and closest people. Hail to His Memory" - the chief of Polish Police Jarosław Szymczyk wrote on Twitter.
The first to report on the tragic shooting was naszraciborz.pl portal.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24 Katowice, PAP